Customer Service

One of the most noticeable differences I've seen so far in the US is the attitude towards customer service. This is most definitely a service-oriented nation (at least at the tourist traps I've encountered thus far).

I think our ideas of customer service in Australia are very much focused on rapport, whereas the US idea is much more about deference. In Australia, at least, I've always thought of customer service as being personality-driven - not being overbearing, but at least being personable and genuine. Here, it's all very much "Good morning sir", "This way please sir", "Is my shirt ironed sharply enough for your liking, sir?" All that professionalism might, I feel, get in the way of remembering that it's actually a real person doing that job. To give one example, here's the lovely envelope left by Doris (soliciting a tip, but poor Doris had the Aussie who doesn't understand tipping, so she went begging). Who is Doris? What's her story? I may never know. Wondering about the people behind these jobs is intriguing though. Apparently she enjoys cleaning. Who'd have thought.



Thankfully, the Australian accent seems to signal that I might be a bit of a fun-loving larrikin who doesn't stand on ceremony. I had a chat with the receptionist at the hotel last night about her own trip to Australia (she only got as far as Sydney; unsurprisingly she'd never heard of Newcastle). I also had a good joke with the shuttle bus driver about whether or not I'd steal his van while he went to look for another passenger. I told him I can barely drive properly in Australia, let alone in a foreign country where they drive on the wrong side of the road :p And I had a laugh with two American military personnel, who were returning from Afghanistan and just about wet themselves when Neil Diamond came on the radio. Aaah, America, I think I can get used to you :)